Forevermore
by Rainkissed Dahlia
Summary: Akihito promises Mirai that, no matter where -or when- she is, she will never be alone.


Akihito absentmindedly flipped through the thin pages of the mystery novel he was reading for the club. Boredom swiftly closing in, he sighed dramatically and rested his chin on his palm. "Akihito." Slowly, he glanced over to Mitsuki who was tending to a novel as well. "How do you expect we meet the quota our school rep assigned us if you're too busy imagining how you're going to confess you're undying love for me after you graduate?" She shook her head for emphasis. "Perverted idiot." "Huh?" He stared at her annoyed. "Who said anything about-" "Well," Mitsuki huffed as she stood and closed her book. "If you aren't going to help, then I'm going home." She paused in the doorway. Without turning around, she sighed again. "Kuriyama-san, I'd watch out for Akihito. You two being alone like this is dangerous. He might try to persuade you into trying on an assortment of glasses, the likes of which would probably be tasteless considering it's Akkey. Honestly, I'd rather leave you with a youmu. See you tomorrow." Kuriyama blushed as she continued watering her bonsai, her strawberry-blonde bangs falling into her eyes. "Hey! Don't call me 'Akkey'-" The door slammed. Akihito continued to grumble to himself, resting more comfortably in his chair.

A peaceful silence settled between them as the setting sun casted unfiltered marigold rays into the clubroom. After a few moments, Akihito's half-lidded gaze slid over to Mirai, whose attention was focused on the landscape beyond the window pane. "Kuriyama-san?" Suddenly she jumped and met his umber eyes, which were studying her. Fidgeting, she awkwardly removed her glasses and began cleaning them. "Y-yes, Senpai?" Akihito could feel his curiosity begin to engulf him, though the thought of actually asking Mirai this particular question somewhat unnerved him. "Kuriyama-san, do you believe in reincarnation?"

She paused then, perching her ruby glasses back onto her nose. "Senpai?" Her golden eyes searched his face for reasoning, and when she found none, she stared down into her lap, twiddling her scarred fingers.

"I used to refuse to believe in anything after death." His eyes widened at this, and he sat up straighter. "I had lived this life all alone, and I didn't want to believe that-after a lifetime of loneliness- another awaited me after my extremely probable and violent death. But now," she smiled then, and Akihito could feel his chest start to ache. "now that I've met you all, I feel...I feel that maybe, it's okay for me to wish for another life after this one. But only if Hiroomi, and Mitsuki, and Ai-chan, and Ayaka-san, a-and you of course-" "Kuriyama-san." She paused, a light blush encroaching upon her porcelain cheeks. "Kuriyama-san, I'm immortal. You know what that means right?"

Her gaze returns to her lap and her shoulders slump minutely. "My mom believes that I'll stop aging soon." he says quieter. "I'll stop aging, and all of my friends will continue to mature, to move on." He shook his head and smiled sadly. "And _I_," he begins, standing up and gesturing to the entirety of is being. "_I_ will be stuck like this." "Senpai..."

Silence settles between them for a moment as the golden rays of the setting sun lazily lapsed into a violet calm. "Kuriyama-san, let's go. It's getting late." She nodded and stood, gathering her bag and following him out the door. As she trailed behind him, the shadow his body casted seemed gloomy and small compared to his broad shoulders and strong hands. Mirai solemnly followed in this shadow, eyes set firmly on Akihito's shoulders. He looked over his shoulder and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. "Kuriyama-san?" She looked back up at him, startled. "Yes?" "What are you doing?"

She paused then, and readjusted her glasses. "I-I decided that...that I would follow you. For as long as I can, and for as long as you'll allow." He stared down at her, stunned. "What do you mean?" She grabbed his hand and squeezed. "Senpai, you may be immortal, but I'm not. So, if you are okay with it, I'd like to spend what ever days I have remaining pleasantly." She pulled away suddenly then, face turning crimson. "B-b-but if not, then that's fine! No pressure Senpai! What ever is convenient for you of course! Don't feel obligated to humor me just because-" Akihito pulled Mirai to him roughly, wrapping his arms around her and burying his face in her fluffy hair. "It would be...unpleasant, if you didn't spend your life with me." Slowly, she reached up and grasped the back of his jacket. "But," Akihito began, slightly pulling away. "I will follow _you. _Each life you live, each time you return, I'll find you. No matter where or how far, or how long it takes, I will find you. I don't want you to live another life alone, I'll find you, and I'll make you happy." "How many times can you do that?" she asked, tears threatening to spill from her golden eyes. "As many times as you want." he smiled, his heart racing. " But, only if I get to pick what glasses you wear each lifetime-" "How unpleasant." she grumbled in return, her beaming smile forsaking her comment.

* * *

A few weeks later Akihito stood among a small gathering of people, all donned in black.

Numb. That's what he was. When he had made that promise to Mirai, he hadn't expected to have to honor it so soon. She had expended all of her blood in a terrible fight against a horde of youmu, and he had been the one to happen upon her drained and cold body. He now wore her golden ring on a delicate chain around his neck, as a reminder. Silently he placed a small white rose on a pillow of cerulean forget-me-nots, bound together by a red thread onto her scarred hands. Slowly he pulled a pair of lavender, thin-rimmed glasses from his coat pocket and gently placed them on her small nose, tucking the sides tenderly behind her ears. He leaned over the small casket that contained her petite body and softly placed his lips on her icy cheek. Akihito stared down at her then, searching her features for any unseen sign of life, as futile as it was. With none to be found, he continued studying her, memorizing each scar, each strand of hair, each feature that made up Kuriyama Mirai. He would find her again, but he had cause to wonder: would she be different? Would her hair still flutter the same way in the warm, sweet breeze of summer? Would her nose still crinkle when she found something unpleasant? Would she remember him? These questions frightened him.

Living frightened him.

Hours later, he still remained by her side, even after she had been lowered into the ground and fresh dirt rested upon her casket. As the sky darkened and rumbled above and threatened to open up upon him Akihito bid Kuriyama farewell. "This isn't the last time, Kuriyama-san." his voice wavered. Tenderly he grasped the golden ring around his neck. "I promised. As many times as you want."

* * *

Akihito brushed his hand through his hair, Kuriyama's golden ring bouncing against his chest as he jogs down the street, the trees festooned with festive Christmas lights and lanterns. He believed he had finally found her after sixteen years of searching since her last death, but he had yet to figure out how to approach her. The first time, he had tried the straightforward method- telling her that he was immortal and that he'd been searching for her for years- but that hadn't gone well. It was obvious that she wouldn't remember him, in any of the lives she was reborn into. He'd have to start over, something that both disgruntled and pleased him. Although finding her each time was a struggle, reliving each moment with her, rewriting their temporary time together was something that no one had had the opportunity to experience. The love he felt for the short girl grew exponentially each time he met her again, and with each death his heart broke even more.

With a nervous huff, he quickened his pace, a young girl's waist-length strawberry-blonde hair coming into view. With each step he took, his heart would call loudly, his breath would shorten significantly, his stomach would churn considerably. He pushed himself now, sprinting to catch up with her. "Excuse me!" he shouted, breath failing him. He felt himself falling forward, and his body connected with the frozen sidewalk. Minutes passed as he languished in his embarrassment and lightheadedness, when he felt a small warmth on his back. "Um, are you okay?" Slowly he looked up, and his eyes met worried aqua orbs. "You shouldn't have pushed yourself so hard. Running while it's cold can be taxing on your body."

Her caring voice penetrated him as he shakily sat up. Luckily the street was mostly empty, save for the few people doing last minute Christmas shopping. "You're bleeding." she stated, digging into her jacket pocket. "Good thing I always carry bandages with me." His perceptive expression caused her to pause. "Why?" he asked anyway. She blushed slightly, fumbling with the bandage in her thin fingers. "Um, it's my hand. I have this...this sort of cut, I guess. It never stops bleeding." she finished quietly as she reached up and placed the bandage on his scraped cheek. "There." she grinned. She stood then, and he followed suit. "Well, I'm going home." she said. "Let me walk you home safely!" he said a little to excitedly. At her surprised look he added, "As thanks, of course." He was hoping that she'd chalk his red cheeks up to the cold or his graceful tumble. She nodded and looked away.

They began walking together, Akihito deliberately keeping a comfortable distance from Mirai to ensure her trusting him. "Um, were you looking for someone earlier?" his eyes snapped back to her. "You had shouted for someone, just before you...you fell." He smiled at her slightly, studying her features. She was essentially his same kohai, personality wise. Her hair was the same color, just significantly longer, and her eyes were a piercing blue, unframed by glasses. Her nose was sprayed lightly with freckles and her lips were slightly fuller. "Yeah. I was."

He turned his head forward again, tucking his hands into his pockets. "I've been looking for them for a long time." "I hope you find them." she smiled fully then, but it faded quickly as she look down at her feet. "No one deserves to be alone." His mood instantly deteriorated. There was no way he could comfort her this time around because he hadn't yet figured out the origins of this Kuriyama. Even if he tried to comfort her, it would come off creepy and- "Unpleasant." she mumbled. He looked back at her, confused. She was fumbling with the bandage around her hand unsteadily. "Here." he said, gently grabbing her wrist and pulling it closer to him. He took a roll of bandages from his pocket and smiled up at her. "I always carry bandages with me." Mirai, fully intrigued as to how he expertly and effectively wrapped her perpetually bleeding hand, blushed lightly as his warm hand warmed more than just her fingers. "Why?" "Hm?" "Why do you carry them?"

He looked up at her then, and her breath caught in her throat. The seemingly aged sadness, the infiniteness of it, pierced her. "I used to have a friend. We were really close. They would always have this cut, that would never stop bleeding. So I was always prepared." Her breath hitched. "Like me?" she whispered. He finished with the wrap around her hand, but his fingers lingered lightly on her wrist. "Yeah. Just like you." She pulled away and started walking again. "Do you miss them?" she asked quietly, wrapping her arms around herself.

She felt weird. Her chest hurt and her heart felt jittery. Her head felt fuzzy. "Yeah I do." he breathed. A silence lapsed between them. Suddenly she stopped walking. "This is my apartment." She began up the first few steps, and then she paused, turning to face him again. Solemnly she bowed. "Thank you for walking me home-" "Kuriyama-san." she froze, eyes widening. That wasn't her name. Not even close. But why was she responding to it? "I-I think you have the wrong person." she replied shakily, raising her head. "I'm sorry."

He smiled at her sadly once more, the despairing look in his timeless eyes returning. He shook his head, his blonde hair becoming disheveled. "You've never been the 'wrong' person." She began to shake. "I don't know who you are." She was growing angry, and he could tell.

This had happened many times already. She would take him to be a stalker or creep, and ignore him for years. Only through miraculous circumstances had he been able to rectify those mistakes, but he'd be lying if he admitted he hadn't failed a few times. Even then, he still made sure she was never alone. Somehow, he'd always made sure that she'd crossed paths with Mitsuki or Ai-chan or Hiroomi. It was a promise, and he'd kept it for decades now.

"I don't know you." she repeated, trying now to convince herself. Why had she felt so comfortable around him? She felt safe and warm and content. She suddenly plopped down on the steps, her head beginning to throb. Roughly she rubbed at her temples, trying to clear up the haze in her mind. How had he known how to wrap her hand? No one knew about her incessant bleeding, and she had told a complete stranger she had met on the sidewalk! "Kuriyama-san-" "What's your name?" she said through gritted teeth, not meeting his gaze. He waited a moment before quietly saying, "Akihito." Her heart stopped and her eyes widened. Gradually she raised her head to look at him. "Who...who are you?" she whispered.

Cautiously he stepped forward and tenderly wiped a stray tear from her cold cheek that she hadn't realized was there. "Who am I?" she asked more forcefully. His chest tightened. This had happened before as well. His appearance had, more than once, elicited an identity crisis within Mirai. He exhaled nervously and knelt before her. All-or-nothing, now. "No matter the circumstances of your various births or the amount of time that passed, you have always been, and will forevermore be, the one I love." He smiled up at her as the snow began to fall.

In the distance, the bells of a clock tower began to toll. Akihito reached into his pocket and pulled out a slim, black case. Gingerly he opened it and pulled out a pair of chartreuse glasses. He placed them tenderly on her nose and tucked them behind her small ears.

"Merry Christmas, Kuriyama-san." he grinned and placed his lips on her cheek.

"Senpai." she whispered.


End file.
